


Happy & Deceived

by Miraphina Atherton (mew_tsubaki)



Series: Eyes of the Beholder [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Age Difference, Angst, F/M, Implied Relationships, just a touch of it rly, rly could be teddy/any next-gen kid tbh, since it's implied Lilted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-10-23
Packaged: 2019-01-21 22:37:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12467504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mew_tsubaki/pseuds/Miraphina%20Atherton
Summary: Teddy's a bit of an enigma, one that needs caring.





	Happy & Deceived

**Author's Note:**

> The Harry Potter characters belong to J.K. Rowling, not to me. A sweet idea that came about from talking with a friend…don't even remember the subject! Read, review, and enjoy! Originally written for BlueMango.

Are ever-changing eyes a sign of anxiety or insecurity?

You look left and right and then sneak a peek at his face in the window's glass as he watches the rain outside. He has a wistful smile playing at his lips, but his eyes are changing—blue, brown, gray, green, purple, red, orange, yellow, gold (the color of werewolf eyes, you offhandedly think)—before they settle and show splinters of all the colors of the rainbow.

It's what Teddy is, a rainbow. He's a Metamorphmagus, of course, and that is the literal meaning behind his being a rainbow. But Teddy's so much more than that. His spirit shines through whenever he acts or speaks…it's no wonder you and so many of the others in your generation look up to him… _love_ him.

But it's times like these that give you pause, as the only one who can see that the colors of that rainbow are…well, they're actually being reflected on an oil slick. A great, big, ugly oil slick that's a smear on Teddy's bright character. No, he's done nothing wrong, but it doesn't impede his mindset from darkening in the least. Whether it be his parents, his Auror training, or just the fact that he can be a part of the Potter family even though he'll _never really be a Potter_ …

Your stomach clenches as your sudden despair on his behalf seizes you. You may just be a kid (no, you're not, you're almost done with school…), but you hurt for him because Teddy's always putting up a front for you—and you correct yourself, thinking it's for _all_ of you.

The best thing you can do is pat his arm and show him your frown, let him know you understand. Let him know that you'd like to scrub away his history, his pain, his future worries—you'd scrub them clean so his light can shine through.

That's when it happens: He sends you a broken smile, telling you it's all right. Or, at least it _will_ be. And, as he draws you into a comfortably dependent hug—the kind not meant for mere siblings, you're sure—you watch the rain with him. Or so he thinks.

He can watch the rain all he wants. He doesn't have to know that, now you're at his side, you can see that the cascades of colors have changed from that of an oil slick to that of a bunch of bubbles. Sweet, carefree, fun bubbles that you've only ever seen when _you're_ the one with him.

Sigh a happy sigh and never again ask, _Are ever-changing eyes a sign of anxiety or insecurity?_ Regardless of his motive, you'll always be there to help him through. Carry the bubbles in your hand, cradle them—

You're the only one who can't let them ( _him_ ) break.

**Author's Note:**

> Aww. :3 This was nice. I was thinking Lily Luna/Teddy, but this could probably just as easily be Teddy/Lysander or Teddy/Fred2, or any other pairing of your delight. Though it does seem this was pretty much next-gen, sorry… ;P
> 
> Thanks for reading, and please review!
> 
> -mew-tsubaki :D
> 
> 2017 note: Ohh, the descriptions in this old drabble—I rly ran with them, didn't I? *has warm fuzzies over Lilted* -w-


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